Cushion tire for vehicles



July 7, 1931. R. BELLO CUSHION TIRE FORr VEHICLES Filed April 29, 1950 Patented July 7, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ROSARIO BELLO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CUSHION TIRE yApplication led April 29,

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in cushion tires for vehicles, and the present application is a companion to the one filed by me on the 13th day of Marcin 1929, Serial No. 346,726. Inrthe present application, I-have shown a plurali'- ty of springs inserted in a solid sponge rubber core and I have means for preventing any creeping or lateral shifting of the core when placed within the outer shoe.`

An object of the invention is to form a cushion tire comprising a core of sponge rubber in which there are a plurality of circumferentially arranged, radially extending springs which, in turn, are placed within radial passageways, after which the sponge rubber is molded, so that the springs will be held in proper position when the core is finished. y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a core ofsponge rubber which is circular in cross section, with the exception that around the inner periphery there is molded a reinforcing rib or band of sponge rubber, so that when the inner edges of the tire shoe or casing are clamped in position on the rim, this additional band or rim of sponge rubber will prevent any creep ing or lateral shifting `of the core in the casing, so that the springs, in turn, will always remain in a true central radial position. l v

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tire of the cushion type wherein '35 the springs will have a compression strength, about equal to the compression strength of the sponge rubber core, so that the springs will thereby take up any heavy load that is placed upon the tire.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a core of sponge rubber havingan inner peripheral rib which not only prevents a shifting of a core in a shoe, but which also strengthens the core asa whole.

Still another object of the invention is to provide slight cut-away portions at the sides of the reinforcing rib directly opposite the holes, in which are inserted the springs, so that as the tire is compressed, the inner peripheral strengthening band is allowedto FOR VEHICLES 1930. Serial No. 448,313.

stretch or give between the respective cutout portions, because as the tire attens, the distance between the cut-out portions is naturally lengthened.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a tire filler or core, a part being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig 3 is a plan view of a portion of the tire mold showing the filler or core therein and several of the spring centering pins in position;

Fig. 4 is a cross section of a mold with a 70 core therein; l

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the complete tire with the core and outer casing mounted on the felly or wheel rim; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View showing a 75 slight modification wherein the inner peripheral strengthening rib is slighly cut away at points opposite the spring openings, so that the rib may stretch between the joints Without cracking.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and for the moment to Fig. 3, there is shown, partly in elevation and partly in section, a fragmentary portion of a metal mold comprising the halves 1 and 2, 85 which halves are held in place by the bolts 3. These halves of the mold are provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced aligned openings, such as 5, 6, 7 and 8,*so that when the parts of the mold are fas- 90 tened together, aligning pins 8a may be properly placed within the mold to hold the springs, to be shortly mentioned.

To form the core or cushion, I preferably take a long strip of sponge rubber, cylin- 95 drical in form, and provide a plurality of openings, such as 9, the space between the openings being equal to the distance between the openings in the metal mold. I then place a spring 10 on each of the alignl0@ ing pins 8n and push the pins and spring down through the respective openings 9, as it will be remembered that the sponge rubber at this stage is only partly vulcanized and relatively soft.V After 1 have placed the springs and aligning pins in the openings in the core, the long cylindrical strip is cut to Lhe proper length (preferably diagonali Y), and placed within one-half of the metal mold, so that the ends meet, after which the other halt is placed thereover and the mold clamped tightly together by the several bolts 3.

It may be stated that ythe diameter ofthe metal mold is slightly less than the diameter of' the. cylindrical rubber core, so that the said rubber core will be torcedaround its inner periphery into the shape of a strengthening band orrib ll, as may be readily seen in Fig. 4. Aft-er the-halves of the mold have beenlocled, the'sponge rubber is then further cured or molded with the aligning pins in, place, after which it is cooled in the regular manner.'y

The mold will then be opened and the aligning pins withdraw-n, the several springs being properly embedded in their true radial position.

The springs preferablyY have a compression strength of about' thirty-live pounds, which is also the desired compression strength of the sponge rubber, so that the core will not collapse-when onthe ground, especially under heavy load. i

By shaping the mold as shown, there is formed the inner peripheral strengthening ribor band 1l', which, when clamped'in the shoe or casing, will prevent anyy shitting either laterally'or circumferentially of the outer casing and, at the same time, will tend to strengthen the core as a whole. It will be understood thatv the openings 9 in the core alsopass directly through this inner llb ll.' Y

In the slightly modified form shown in Fig. (3,- it will Vbe seen that lcut'away a slight portion ot the rib on its sides, as at l2, or, in other words, just opposite-the openings 9r in the sides of the rib', so that as the tread engages the ground, the rib or rim 11 may stretch or givebetween these openings l2 and not'tear'or crack at these points as, of course, the distance. betvveen the twopoints is lengthenedwhen the 'rare flattens outon the bottom, due to the weight oi the load.

ritter the core has been molded, as above described, it may beput within the casingor treadl, and after the rim 14 is in posi.- tion it binds the innergadjacent ends of the shoe or casing tightly about the strengthening rib ll, thus holding the core properly in position and preventing the same from Cil shitting either laterally or circumferentially. This is desirable, of course, as the spring should always be in proper radial alignment.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a cushion tire consisting of a solid rubber core, in which there are a plurality ot radial openings passing completely through the core, and within these openings are the properly aligned respective-springs, the bore orP the openings being co-axial with thebore of the coil springs.

By providing these openings, it is possible 'to-have the springs placed on the aligning pins when the core is being molded, so there is no danger of these springs getting out of aXia-l alignment with the holes during the molding of the core. y vFinally, there' is provided an inner peripheral strengthening rib yto avoid any creeping of the core within the casingl and to provide ragainst any laterali shitting ot the core within the casing.

I am aware that itv is old to embedV springs in a solid rubber core, but 1 am not aware of a core or tillerformedwith a plurality'of openings to receive aligning pins, which*` pins, in turn, hold the springs in position when the tire is being molded, nory am I aware of' a sponge rubber core having-a strengthening. rib around its inner peripheral'surtace which, in turn, is to be clamped;

between the inner adjacent edges of the common -formof tire casings-nowA in use.

Many slight changes might be made without in any way departing from the spirit andscopekof the invention. n

Having thus described my invention, whatV I" cla-im as new and desireV to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. AI core for a tire casing, said core formed of sponge rubber and providedwith a series of radial openings extending therethrough, an inner peripheral integra-l rib, said openings extendingthrough saidr rib, and-coil` springs embedded within the tire core and terminating short of the opposite;

ends of their respective openings and the aXis of the springs registering co-aXial with the bore of the openings.

2. A unitary tire core ormedl of sponge rubber, aplurality of radially disposed coili springs an inner peripheral strengthening rib, said core provided lwithfa plurality of radially disposed openings, theiaXes of' the springs registering with thesaid respective openings, said openings also passing through the strengthening rib, and the side walls of the rib being out away opposite the said openings toallow for a liattening of the core at the tread without stretching-the rib beyond the tearing point.

3. A circular core for a cushion tire formed of sponge rubber, said core having radial passageways extending completely therethrough, an inner integral peripheral strengthening rib Aand the said passageways extending through said rib, coil springs embedded centrally of the core and having the axes of the springs (zo-axial with the bore of the passageways, the springs being shorter in length than the cross-sectional diameter of the tire core, and the compressibility in pounds of the springs equal to the compressibility in pounds to the sponge rubber of the core.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ROSARIO BELLO. 

